


Together Again

by Nothing_You_Can_Prove



Series: The Pricefield Playlist [13]
Category: Life Is Strange (Video Game)
Genre: Cuddling & Snuggling, F/F, Fluff, Hair Dyeing, Kissing, One Shot Collection, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Romance, pricefield
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-03
Updated: 2017-10-15
Packaged: 2018-09-21 18:36:59
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 8,322
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9561686
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nothing_You_Can_Prove/pseuds/Nothing_You_Can_Prove
Summary: A collection of Pricefield one-shots of varying lengths. Feel free to suggest ideas.





	1. The Walking Dead

**Author's Note:**

> So guys, I realised that literally all the Pricefield I write is angsty af (well done me). To rectify that, I am writing this story. Well, I guess it's a collection of fluffier, established Pricefield one-shots of varying lengths. They won't be in any particular order. This series may or may not include NSFW stuff as a warning, so you're prepared if that eventuality happens. I guess it depends on what people want to see really and what mood I'm in when writing.
> 
> This won't be following canon obviously. If you have any ideas to add to the mix, then I'm happy to hear and try to include them if possible. I do have a list of ideas I'll keep adding to, so I don't think I'll run out for a little while. Consider this chapter a test run to see how it's received. Then I'll think about how regularly I should update (maybe between 1-2 weeks?). Anyway, enjoy.

**Chapter One: The Walking Dead**

Max watched through the gaps in her fingers as the terrifying, lumbering figures staggered around in search of something living to rip apart. As a rule, she didn't deal with horror very well. So, you'd have thought that a show about a zombie apocalypse with jump scares and gore would be the last thing she should be watching. Yet, here she was sat on the couch with a blanket draped over her legs beside Chloe, who was happily shoveling popcorn into her mouth watching the bloody chaos ensue. Actually, she'd been laughing at times, commenting on how stupid or unrealistic certain parts had been. A typical reaction for her.

"Why did I let you convince me to watch this?" Max asked, clutching on tighter to Chloe and biting her lip. It didn't help that it was dark outside and all the lights were off in the house. That added to the ominous atmosphere. _It's scary dark in here… How the hell is Chloe so calm while I'm a nervous wreck?_

Chloe glanced down at her with a smug smirk, an arm lazily wrapped around her girlfriend's shoulder. Maybe part of her felt cruel for forcing Max to watch this. Only a small part, though. Everything was better with Max around. That and she enjoyed teasing her. "Because you love me."

"So I've heard…" Max sighed, mentally preparing herself for the rest of the show. As much as she complained and felt scared, at least it gave her an excuse to cuddle up to the blue-haired punk. Not that she needed one. "You totally owe me one after this."

"Don't I always according to you? Besides, it's not all doom and gloom or blood and gore. At least there are some hella hot, badass chicks around. Like Michonne, right?" Chloe let out an appreciative whistle as she sank further back on the couch.

Max rolled her eyes melodramatically to let her girlfriend see her disapproval. "Of course that's the first thing you'd think about… I swear that's the only reason you watch anything."

"Aw, is Maxine getting jealous?" Chloe teased, giving her a light shoulder nudge. It was almost too fun to playfully pester her like this. The expressions Max made were just too entertaining. As a kid, she'd made every effort to see them as much as possible. Not much had changed.

"No, and it's Max, never Maxine." All too late, Max realized her mistake. She had answered _way_ too quickly and made herself obvious. It was silly but Chloe was right. Even though Max had known she was mostly joking, somewhere deep down inside there had been a flicker of jealousy. A feeling that she just wasn't good enough compared to others. Something similar had happened with Rachel and she hated that she felt it. Especially now, when she felt it over a stupid TV show character. _Man, I'm such an idiot…_

Instead of teasing her more, Chloe wrapped her arms tighter around Max to reassure her. Her best friend always had a tendency to doubt herself. "Oh, come on, don't get all pouty on me. Unfortunately for all the hot, badass chicks out there, I'm taken."

That made Max smile, the insecurity and self-doubt rapidly fading away. "I'm sure they must be crying in their sleep over such a lost opportunity."

Now that she was smiling again, Chloe found herself instinctively grinning back and resorting to her usual humorous approach. "Damn right they are. I mean, I'm a total catch."

A cheeky grin tugged at Max's lips. _Now is my turn to go on the offensive._ "Sure, if you say so."

Blue eyes narrowed at the response, clearly not satisfied. "You are such a bitch sometimes. You know that?"

Max shrugged, unable to stifle the grin that had crept onto her face, "Someone has to curb that seemingly endless ego of yours." A chorus of gurgling groan, shouting and gun shots brought her attention back to the TV screen. _I can't even imagine what it would be like to get stuck in that kind of situation._ "Seriously, though, it'd be super scary to live in a world like that. I don't know if I'd manage it."

Her mock annoyance long forgotten, Chloe shuffled closer to Max, if that was possible, and placed a kiss on her forehead. "Don't worry, Max. I'd protect you from all the scary, half-rotten, re-animated corpses. And the crazy people left over."

With Chloe's recklessness and her fear, Max doubted they would get too far without help. Having said that, they did make a pretty good team. Maybe they would have a chance. _Hopefully, we'll never have to find out._ "Well, doesn't that make me feel better…"

"It should. I'm a crack shot with a gun, total natural, so we wouldn't have to worry about defense if we could get our hands on one." Chloe held her free hand out in front of her, fingers positioned to look like a gun as she aimed it at the screen right at a zombie's head. She moved her thumb downwards, symbolizing the trigger, and mirrored the recoil while making an appropriate sound effect as one of the characters on the screen shot it down. "See, easy."

"And you call _me_ a nerd," Max unsuccessfully stifled a giggle at her bravado. As far as she was aware, Chloe had never even _held_ a gun, let alone shot one before. Something Max was very thankful for because she'd probably end up hurting herself. As usual, Chloe thought she could become an expert in five minutes. _Just like her to think that way._ "Yeah, well no offense but I wouldn't trust you with a gun until you got some proper training. Even then, I'd be skeptical."

"Ouch, that hurts." Chloe put on an expression of mock offense, trying to garner some guilt and sympathy that she could capitalize on.

Of course, Max saw right through it and shook her head knowingly. "Sorry to damage your fragile, manly pride. To be fair, I wouldn't trust anyone with a gun, even if they knew how to use it."

"I don't think you'd have much of a choice in that situation. You need to defend yourself," the bluenette added.

As much as Max hated to admit it, she was right. Still, she _hated_ guns. That would never change, even if they became a necessary evil. "I guess… let's hope it never gets to that stage."

The ghost of a sly smile tugged at Chloe's lips, a twinkle of playful mischief entering her blue eyes. "You know, I think zombies have something right."

Curious, and a little scared, to hear her answer, Max bit the bullet. "Oh, and what's that?"

"Let me show you." Her voice was much huskier and lower now, rendering Max speechless for a few seconds. Before she could ask any further questions, Chloe had leaned in and begun kissing her neck. The sensation was slightly ticklish, but not unpleasantly so. Instinctively, Max moved her neck to allow her more access. _It's so strange how one small action can affect me so much. Not that I'm complaining._ Just when she had lulled Max into a false sense of security, Chloe blew a raspberry against her skin. "The neck is a good spot to aim for. Very vulnerable."

"I should have known…" Max sighed with mild disappointment as she went to wipe her neck. She should have expected something like this to happen. _Chloe just can't help herself._

Chloe caught her hand, stopping her. The way she was looking at Max now made a shiver run down her spine, so intense and focused. "Who said I was finished with you yet, Caulfield?"

Instead of returning to her neck, Chloe pressed her lips against Max's, no longer wanting to mess with her. As anticipated, Max couldn't stay mad for long and was very receptive to the kiss. It was weird to think that she could do this kind of thing with Chloe, even now. She was gradually getting used to it. Maybe one day she'd be ready to initiate things as easily as Chloe seemed to be able to do. She felt Chloe's tongue and allowed it to slip inside her mouth. This was all so new for her, unexplored territory, so it was only natural for her to let her girlfriend lead. A hand found hers, fingers interlocking as the kiss continued. Max could remember the first proper kiss they'd shared. She'd almost forgotten that she could breathe through her nose, much to Chloe's amusement. Now, Max had a bit more experience so didn't fall for rookie mistakes like that… most of the time.

Although the screen continued to play in the background, neither Max nor Chloe paid it any further attention.


	2. Breakfast Fails

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, welcome back to the fic. I had a bit of free time today, so I decided to write another chapter for this. May as well if I can, right? Since these are short, unrelated chapters, it's much easier to find the time.

**Chapter Two: Breakfast Fails**

As the early afternoon sunlight filtered through the kitchen window, Max sat at the table nursing a lukewarm cup of coffee. She'd left Chloe asleep, not having the heart to wake her. Had it been the other way around, she was certain Chloe wouldn't have extended the same courtesy to her. Still, it gave her a good opportunity to take some photos. There was no way Chloe would let her take them if she knew. They would provide effective blackmail material if need be and record precious memories too. As she was finishing off her drink, the all too familiar shuffling of feet and muffled cursing at tripping over shoes came from the hallway. It could only be one person.

Max looked over her shoulder just in time to see Chloe staggering into the kitchen, bleary-eyed with disheveled, faded blue locks of hair sticking up in every conceivable angle. "Afternoon. I was beginning to wonder whether you would actually get up some time today."

Too tired to offer up a witty rebuttal, Chloe casually flipped her off as she stumbled over to the coffee machine. Without her morning caffeine, she couldn't function. Too lazy to make a fresh batch, she poured herself a cup from the coffee already in there and took a large gulp.

"What do you want to eat today?" Max asked, not trusting that Chloe was awake enough to cook anything. Between them, they'd nearly burnt the house down on multiple occasions. With Max's clumsiness and Chloe's lack of concern for safety, not to mention her unnatural tendency to get injured, they'd been doomed from the very start. Still, somehow they managed to keep it mostly under control. It was a miracle really.

A sly grin tugged at Chloe's lips then. She didn't even have to say anything for Max to realize what her answer was going to be. Predictably, she replied with, "You."

All Max could do was respond to that with a melodramatic eye roll. "Look, that might have been a little bit funny the first time. The fiftieth time… not so much."

"Come on, it's a classic answer," the blue-haired punk protested sleepily.

As much as she complained, Max secretly never grew tired of Chloe's stupid, repeated jokes. Just like Chloe never got bored with Max's seemingly endless supply of bad puns. They both realized the other was just teasing and it had turned into a game between them. "One you're grossly _over_ -abusing."

Since her first idea had been shot down, Chloe gave the question some thought, "Fine, then I want pancakes." She demanded this with an almost childlike excitement. If Max looked past the blue hair, tats, and punk clothing, she could still see the teen Chloe hiding underneath. The differences went beyond being skin deep of course, but her outward appearance was definitely the most obvious at a quick glance.

"You can help then," Max replied as she grabbed a frying pan, greased it up and put it on the heat. Resigned to helping, Chloe drained the rest of her coffee, slamming the mug down on the side. The clattering sound made Max wince, surprised that the mug was still standing after that violent hit. "Jeez Chloe, careful. You'll break something."

Chloe shrugged as she moved over to the sink to wash her hands. "If a mug can break from that, then it isn't worth buying."

"Not everything can be Chloe Price proof," Max pointed out, wondering just how many things in this world were. From her experience, not many.

Drying off her hands, the bluenette slid in behind Max and wrapped her arms around the shy hipster's waist. While she was there, she placed a kiss on her girlfriend's neck. As anticipated, the contact made Max crumple up slightly, her neck being a particularly ticklish spot. "It just goes to show how in our current economic climate that quality is overlooked in favor of mass production."

"Who are you and what have you done with Chloe?" Max asked teasingly, returning the favor by craning her neck and briefly kissing her lips.

When they broke apart, Chloe started to act all offended and hurt. "Ass, I can sound all smart and deep if I want to."

"I know," Max turned around to face her and kissed her again, this time much more involved. Most days, it was difficult stopping herself from just constantly kissing Chloe. Of course, her girlfriend was all too happy to oblige. The second Chloe's hands began to wander, starting something completely different, Max pulled away from her. Food first. After that was a whole different story. "Now, stop distracting me so much and get me some ingredients. There won't be the need for an egg hunt in this house, lucky for you."

"Are you going to hold a grudge about that forever?" Chloe asked as she gathered the ingredients together.

Just for the hell of it, Max decided to be extremely over dramatic about this. "I spent ages looking for those damn eggs, so yes. Minutes of my life wasted."

"And even more complaining about it every five minutes," the bluenette cheekily added as she cracked an egg into the bowl on the side.

Max voted to stick out her tongue before she grabbed the electric whisk from one of the cupboards. When everything had been added to the bowl, she began to mix it all together, making sure to get rid of all the flour lumps as best she could. Satisfied, she turned the mixer off and put it to one side. As she turned around she could see Chloe biting her lip, desperately trying not to laugh.

Eager to get to the bottom of this sudden amusement, she crossed her arms and assumed her best 'no nonsense' expression. "What now?"

"You've got some batter on your cheek," Chloe pointed out through a snicker. Just as Max was about to wipe it off, the bluenette caught her hand. "Ah, ah, I've got it." Instead of using her hand, Chloe leaned in and licked the pancake batter off her girlfriend's cheek. Before she pulled away, she placed a light kiss there too for good measure.

Max rolled her eyes playfully at the action, feeling the familiar tug of a smile at her lips. She should have expected her to do something like that. "I hope you don't have any contagious diseases."

Chloe dismissively waved away her concern. "Only being awesome. Besides, if I did you'd have caught them by now."

" _Very_ reassuring." Her punk girlfriend's logic had always been a special case. She a way of making anything sound rational, even if it obviously wasn't.

Chuckling at the slight pout, Chloe leaned in to steal a kiss. "Sharing is caring."

Of course, for someone like Chloe Price that only worked one way. Max knew that better than anyone. "I'll remind you of that next time we have to do the dishes… which might be fairly soon I hasten to add."

A mischievous twinkle entered blue eyes. "Whenever that is, I think I might have a convenient appointment elsewhere."

Max shook her head, suppressing the smile threatening to break. "I bet you will."

After some time had passed, all of the batter had been used. The resulting pancakes were oddly shaped and had an uneven distribution of color. The first few were either underdone or nearly burnt. Not only that, but the stove top was a mess of half-cooked batter and flakes. Joyce made it look easy.

"Well, these pancakes have an… interesting shape," Chloe commented as she brought the plate to the table.

Max rubbed the back of her neck, sighing at the mess. "I tried to flip them like a pro and… yeah, limited success."

Once the table had been set and all the extras brought over, the pair sat down and plated up. "You made them so they can't be _that_ bad."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence…"

Despite the ominous looking food, Chloe still dug in anyway. She very rarely passed up food, especially when it had been made by Max. Besides, how things looked wasn't the important thing. The taste was all that mattered. After applying a healthy helping of syrup to her first pancake, Chloe took a huge bit and chewed.

"Not bad at all, Caulfield. I approve," she mumbled through bites, putting her thumb up to reiterate her point before shoveling more pancake into her mouth.

Max moved out of the way of the food splash zone, knowing that her girlfriend had an interesting idea of table etiquette. "At least finish your mouthful before you start talking. I nearly got sprayed with half-chewed mush."

Thankfully, Chloe did take her pleas into account and finished chewing before responding this time. "Sorry, Super Max. Didn't mean to target you."

"It's fine. I know you didn't mean to." It was very obvious to Max when Chloe meant to do something like that. The usual shit-eating grin hadn't made an appearance, so it was safe to assume it had been an accident.

It didn't take long for them to plow through the stack of pancakes, with Chloe eating a solid 70%. She always did have a healthy appetite. When she finished off her last bite and helped Max polish hers off too, she sank back in her chair and sighed. "Man, I'm stuffed."

It never ceased to amaze Max how much Chloe could eat. That hadn't changed. "For like three minutes. I swear your stomach is a bottomless pit."

"Probably," Chloe agreed, picking at her teeth and, after a stern glare from Max, decided against just flicking it onto the floor. Instead, she wiped whatever had been stuck on the plate. To gain a bit of favor back, she collected the plates together and washed them up. Once everything had been put back in its original place and they'd had time to let their food settle, Chloe took hold of Max's hands, gently swinging them as she offered up a coy smile. "So… back to bed?"

"You've only just got up," Max mentioned playfully as she leaned against one of the kitchen counters, knowing exactly what her best friend was getting at. There were few times when she had the upper hand on Chloe Price, so she had to make the most of it.

Seeing through her teasing, Chloe brought Max's hands up to her lips and pressed a kiss to the backs. "I wasn't planning on sleeping… but what I do have in mind requires you."

Deciding to keep up the act, Max titled her head to one side curiously. "What do I get for entertaining your request?"

"Well, you'll find out if you accept. I can give you a little teaser now, though." Without any hesitation, she leaned in and kissed Max again. Her girlfriend was extremely receptive to her advances, as anticipated. Chloe braced her hands on the countertop, pressing gently into Max as she kissed her. She slid her tongue effortlessly into Max's mouth, taking the time to explore. The shy hipster wrapped her arms around Chloe's neck, pulling her closer. Even though she was a bit more confident in herself now, she still took one a more submissive role most of the time. Happy to receive and hesitant to initiate. While Chloe didn't really mind, she did wish Max would just do what she wanted instead of waiting. Maybe one day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I see this one happening a little further into the relationship than the last chapter. I won't be giving exact timings for each chapter since they don't lead directly on from one another necessarily, but I will provide comments in the notes about it from time to time.
> 
> Remember, if there is anything you would like to see in this fic, just let me know at any time via comments/reviews or pm. I'm open to ideas and I will credit people in the notes for ideas used, naturally. Obviously, the more ideas I have, the longer this fic will last. I have a fair few ideas already, but more are always welcomed and help me come up with new ones myself.
> 
> Some basic thoughts on contributing ideas, they can: be from any time in the relationship; include other characters (such as Kate/Rachel etc.) and must be mostly, if not completely, fluff based. Apart from that, there are no particular criteria apart from it being Pricefield, although I don't mind including other ships as a secondary, minor ship (as long as they don't conflict, of course).
> 
> Right, I have to head off back to uni now, so see you next time!


	3. Dyeing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, here's another chapter for you. Enjoy.

**Chapter Three: Dyeing**

After lunch, Max and Chloe had moved into the lounge and taken up refuge on the couch. The bluenette was laying down with her head in her girlfriend's lap. Taking full advantage of the relaxed situation, Max idly ran her fingers through the punk's hair, gently massaging her scalp. It was moments like this that the two women appreciated more than anything. Just spending time together and forgetting their responsibilities for a while. Time seemed to pass them by so quickly and it was all too easy to get caught up in it. Every now and then, they needed a breather.

"You've been putting it off for way too long, you know," Max suddenly announced with no context as she let the strands of hair fall from her fingers.

Understandably, the abrupt statement confused Chloe. "You have to be a bit more specific than that."

"Re-dying your hair. What else?" Max took a stray strand of faded blue hair between her fingers to demonstrate her point, the strawberry blonde roots very visible now.

Chloe looked up at her and smiled. "You don't even _want_ to know the huge list of shit I've been putting off."

"Good point. It's probably as long as mine." Neither of them was very good at organizing themselves. Procrastination was a dance they both knew well. Too well some might say.

"To be fair, I've been waiting on Rachel," Chloe clarified. It had been a valid enough excuse to put it off before now. "You know how reliable she can be."

"I can do it if you want," Max offered before really considering the implications of her suggestion. She'd never dyed anyone's hair before. Surely, it couldn't be that difficult… she hoped.

A thoughtful expression crossed Chloe's features as she considered this option. In a decisive movement, she nodded. "I don't see why not. What's the worst that could happen?"

"You end up looking like a smurf?" Max proposed half-jokingly. It wasn't beyond the realms of possibility.

The thought seemed to amuse Chloe greatly. "If I didn't have to live with it, that's something I'd want to see. Seriously, you'll do just fine."

"Oh, because _that_ doesn't add more pressure…" Max muttered under her breath, slightly regretting ever bringing it up.

Eager to reassure her, Chloe slowly sat up and put a comforting arm around Max, gently kissing her forehead. "You'll manage it. You are Max Caulfield after all."

Even if that was just said to make her feel better, it did help.

* * *

**Next Day**

Now that Chloe had restocked her shelves with hair dye, it was time to get to work. They cleared out space in the lounge and pulled up a chair, covering the floor with an old towel so as not to get hair dye everywhere. After changing into some old clothes and draping a towel over Chloe's shoulders, Max put on the supplied gloves and got to work. Carefully, she separated hair at regular intervals to expose roots before applying the dye. A distinctive, strong smell filled the air as she diligently tended to her task. Once the roots had been covered, she applied the rest of the dye to the lengths, making sure to massage it in as best she could to avoid blotchy patches. There was nothing much left of the dye now and Chloe's hair was fully saturated. They had some time to wait before she could rinse the foamy substance out.

After wiping away any excess dye and removing the gloves, Max pulled up another chair and sat opposite her best friend, getting a good look at her. She found herself smiling involuntarily as Chloe stuck her tongue out and crossed her eyes like the dork she truly was. They were close enough for Max to reach out and take her hand, giving it a light squeeze. Sometimes, they didn't need words. When the time came, Chloe wandered off to the bathroom and took a shower to rinse out the remaining hair dye. Max waited around for her to be finished, feeling nervous all of a sudden. She almost jumped when her girlfriend re-entered the room, a towel wrapped around her head for added suspense.

"I bet your _dyeing_ to see the result, right?" Chloe grinned, proud of her admittedly bad pun.

"Hey, no fair. Making terrible puns is _my_ job," Max whined playfully, waiting anxiously to be put out of her misery.

"Should've been quicker off the mark." Figuring that she had kept the suspense long enough, Chloe removed the towel and began examining her hair in a nearby mirror. As she did, Max felt her heart rate quicken. Hopefully, she hadn't messed up. From where she was, it looked okay. A few seconds later, Chloe took a step back from the mirror and offered up a grin. "I'd call your first time an overwhelming success."

"Good." A sigh of relief escaped Max's lips, a breath she hadn't even realized she was holding in.

"I told you it'd be fine," just then Chloe seemed to have a lightbulb moment, her eyes sparking with an unknown idea. "Hey, I just had a great idea."

The assurance that this would be a 'good' idea didn't convince Max. "Here we go…"

Chloe narrowed her eyes at the mildly accusatory tone. "What's with _that_ reaction?"

"You know exactly what's up with it. Your ideas usually cause trouble and/or are dangerous." Years of experience had taught her that much. In response to the lack of trust, Chloe used her secret weapon for convincing, the infamous Price puppy dog eyes. Realizing that it was pointless and basically impossible to deny with her, Max sighed and reluctantly agreed to listen. "Fine, I guess hearing you out can't hurt."

A small, victorious grin tugged at the bluenette's lips as she proposed her idea. "How about we dye your hair?"

"Me? Dye my hair?" Max asked, equal parts curious and skeptical.

"Yeah, you haven't changed your style up like ever. You'd totally rock red. I can't do all the changing."

Chloe did have a point and she would probably keep bringing it up until Max agreed with it. Both out of curiosity and for the sake of appeasement, Max decided to humor her. "You know what? Okay."

This reply seemed to really shock Chloe. She was stunned momentarily, clearly having been expecting an outright refusal. "Really?"

"Sure, I can always change it later if I don't like it." This was more of a reassurance for Max herself than anything else.

"You will trust me. I happen to have such a hair dye with me." She grinned as she located the said hair dye.

Max shook her head at the predictable behavior. "So presumptuous…"

"Hey, you agreed. I was just preparing for the eventuality." Before Max could change her mind, they got to work. She could feel Chloe's fingers running through her hair as the dye was applied. It wasn't an unpleasant feeling. Soon enough, the process was over and it was time to see the result. "So, what do you think?"

"It's… different." Max got a good look at herself in the mirror, running her fingers through her now red hair. She'd need a couple of days to decide for definite, but she didn't hate it or anything. That was more than she'd been expecting.

"It looks fucking hot, you mean," Chloe corrected gleefully. "Now we just need to get you a couple of tats, some piercings… we'll make a thrasher out of you yet."

"Sorry to disappoint, but that's not going to happen anytime soon. I can change my hair color back easy enough if I don't like it. Tattoos on the other hand…" Even the thought of getting a tattoo right now was too much. It must hurt a lot and needles kind of freaked Max out.

Chloe shrugged, backing off for now. "Progress is progress. Let's take a picture to commemorate the day Max Caulfield dared to make a change."

"You suck, but I'm always up for a picture." Max nudged her shoulder to highlight her mock annoyance.

"I know your weakness well." Chloe grinned as they positioned themselves in front of Max's camera, the very same one that had been used by William all those years ago. They took a variety of different photos. Some of them pulling funny faces, smiling, cheek kissing and some more serious ones.

As Chloe flicked through the photos, her smile widened. "We definitely got a hella good haul."

"Agreed." Max found herself smiling involuntarily to mirror her girlfriend. Normally, she wouldn't have gone through with something like this. Change scared her, made her anxious. Some changes, as she had found out, weren't always a bad thing. Chloe had proven that much.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, one more chapter out there. Hopefully, the next chapter will be coming out fairly soon. I'll do my best. On a different yet slightly related note, I need to get my hair dyed again fairly soon. Those roots are starting to show… Have a great day and see you next time, where Rachel might be making her first appearance.


	4. Runway

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, welcome back. Sorry this took so long, having no laptop really sucked. It is safely back in my hands now, so all balance is restored. I imagine this chapter happening while Max is still at Blackwell. In this fic, Chloe didn't get kicked out, although she still is a rebel at heart, and Rachel moved to LA to pursue her modelling career more seriously to give some context.

**Chapter Four: Runway**

**Price House**

For the first time in about a month or so, Rachel was coming to visit. Ever since moving to LA to follow her modelling dream, she hadn't been able to return to Arcadia Bay. She had been working hard to make a name for herself. While it had been going slowly, she was gradually getting somewhere. The more experience she had, the better. Chloe was excited to see her again. As helpful as texting and video chats were, nothing was ever as good as the face to face, real deal.

Rachel was supposed to be here within the hour, but with her you never knew. She wasn't the most punctual of people, not that Chloe could really talk. At least she had Max to keep her company and make the time pass by quickly. Max and Rachel had talked a little before, enough to feel comfortable around one another. That acclimatization time had applied more to Max than the sociable blonde. Just when she was about to go stir-crazy waiting, Chloe heard a confident knock at the front door. Eager to see if it was Rachel, she raced downstairs, nearly tripping over her boots left at the bottom in the process. Cursing under her breath and straightening herself out, she opened the door.

As expected, Rachel stood there, smiling when their eyes met, "Did you miss me?" Without another word, Chloe pulled her into a fierce hug. Faltering for a second, the blonde then proceeded to return the hug. "Wow, I guess you did."

"Maybe a little," Chloe admitted as she let her go. "Come on, let's get you upstairs."

The two women proceeded to head up the stairs, entering Chloe's bedroom. Max sat up as they came inside, offering a warm smile. "Hey, Rachel."

"Max, fancy seeing you here," Rachel greeted, winking at her. "Hope I wasn't interrupting anything." The hipster blushed at the insinuation, just as she had hoped.

Chloe stepped in to save her. "Quit picking on Max, Rach. It's literally been two seconds."

"Aw, but it's fun." When Chloe narrowed her eyes in warning, Rachel shrugged. "Fine, fine, I'll tone it down a bit. I'm just happy to see you guys. Which reminds me… I got you presents because I'm such a good friend."

"Hand over the pirate booty," Chloe demanded impatiently.

"Alright, patience is a virtue," Rachel chuckled, setting her bag on the bed and rummaged around. "Since you're always making fun of me for believing in, how did you put it? Voodoo bullshit, I got you this while I was in LA." She handed over a black vest shirt for Chloe to look at. Near the neck line was a small motif depicting a crystal ball and hands floating just above it. The accompanying text underneath read 'My crystal ball tells me you're an asshole'.

"That's too perfect. Did they make this shirt specially for Chloe?" Max asked amusedly as she looked at the shirt.

"Don't think you've escaped my amazing gift giving skills, Caulfield. First…" Rachel pulled out a pair of lens less glasses, grinning from ear to ear. "No real hipster is complete without a set of these." That grin only widened, turning mischievous as she fished out a good quality journal, alongside some random arts and craft type items. "I heard you like scrapbooking, so thought I'd give you a hand. Now you have awesome paper to write about all those 'special late night encounters' you have with Chloe. I expect it to be full in like a week."

"A week?! Jeez…" Max looked away, embarrassed at the insinuation.

That was exactly the reaction Rachel had been hoping for. "You are just too fun to tease. I'm jealous of you, Chloe."

"You should be," Chloe mentioned with a grin, happy to jump in on the playful teasing.

Rachel's hazel eyes lit up with delight now that she had backup. "Oooh, sounds like I'm missing out."

"Dog, please stop talking now…" Max pleaded, her cheeks turning a light shade of pink.

"Sure, but I can't promise other topics will be any less embarrassing." An idea popped into Rachel's head then, one she couldn't wait to propose. "Hey, I have an idea. How about we do a little runway fashion show? Chloe can show off her knew shirt and I can bust a couple moves. Of course, you'd have to take some pictures, Max."

Chloe shook her head, crossing her arms. "I don't think so. Modelling ain't my gig."

Knowing exactly which buttons to press to get Chloe riled up, Rachel allowed herself a broad grin. "Not up to the challenge? I see, I guess this is yet another thing I'm better at than you."

"Hey, I never said I _couldn't_ do it, just that I didn't want to," Chloe protested, her ego and pride taking over. "I would totally kick your ass."

"Prove it," Rachel coaxed.

Not one to back down from a challenge, and eager to prove herself, Chloe assumed a battle stance. "You're on. Bring it."

The three of them cleared a space, leaving a gap in the middle so they could strut their stuff. Quickly, Chloe changed into her new shirt, ready to put her bold words into action. Max stood at the end of the makeshift runway, camera in hand. Despite her initially hesitation and complaints, by the end of it Chloe was getting really into the whole runway thing. The way the bluenette could get so carried away was kind of cute, not that Max would ever admit it to her face. That was a sure-fire way to get hit. As expected, when Rachel took the stage she did so with poise and grace. She was very serious about her dream to model and that passion showed now. This little show was probably the highlight of Max's photographic career so far.

Once the short show was over, Rachel turned to Max with a dazzling smile. "So, who rocked the runway best, in your opinion?"

"Me, duh," Chloe announced confidently as she began sifting through the photos. Max had taken some pretty sweet shots, not that she had ever doubted that.

Rachel shook her head at the overconfidence. "I beg to differ."

Pondering her choices, Max finally decided on a winner. "For the sake of peace, I'll have to pick Chloe."

"Ha, suck it, Rach," Chloe shouted gleefully, very ready to gloat about her victory.

This wasn't a surprising outcome for several reasons. "I sense a bit of bias here. Mind you, if you had picked me, Chloe would never have let you hear the end of it. So, I don't blame you, Max. Now, let's get you up here too."

"What? Oh, no I don't think so," Max protested, backing away only to hit into Chloe, who seemed to like the suggestion.

"That's an awesome idea. Come on, Max, do it for me." The bluenette deployed her secret weapon, the infamous Price puppy dog eyes.

"I hate it when you do the puppy dog eyes…"

"I know." Chloe grinned, fully aware of the power she wielded.

Unable to resist, Max sighed deeply, "Fine, but don't laugh."

Awkwardly, she attempted to mimic the moves she had seen Rachel and Chloe pull off so easily. She felt stupid doing it, but if it made them happy she didn't mind so much. To their credit, Rachel and Chloe didn't laugh. In fact, they only encouraged her, which was nice. She had half expected them to make fun of her, but they must have noticed her genuine insecurity and decided against it. When she got into it, it was pretty fun. More than she had imagined.

"Damn, that was hot," Chloe mentioned when Max joined them back over on the bed.

Rachel chuckled and nodded. "I concur."

Max rubbed the back of her neck, feeling vulnerable right now. "Thanks, I guess."

"Now that you're warmed up, let's go cause some _real_ trouble," the aspiring model announced with a broad grin.

"Hella yes!" Chloe exclaimed excitedly, immediately jumping on the bandwagon.

The way they said this, so pumped up, had Max worried. If experience was anything to go by, she was in for a ride.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There you have it. Another idea to cross of the list. Have an awesome day and see you next time.


	5. The 'Third Wheel' Conundrum

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys. So, this one follows on from last chapter, detailing what mischief Max, Chloe and Rachel got up to after the runway.

**Chapter Five: The 'Third Wheel' Conundrum**

The three of them decided to take Chloe's truck to their destination. Apparently, it wasn't close enough to walk to. Or at least that's what Rachel claimed. One problem… there were only two seats available. It didn't take a genius to work out that three people vs. two seats didn't add up.

"What're we going to do about seating?" Max asked, a little apprehensive to find out the answer to that particular puzzle. "Chloe will be driving, so that leaves the two of us."

"We could battle it out… or we can save time and energy by having you sit on my lap," Rachel offered, taking no small amount of pleasure from the embarrassment that ensued.

Blue eyes widened at the suggestion. "What?"

Not really seeing any alternative, Rachel pressed ahead. "Where else are you going to sit? In the back?"

"Could strap you to the roof," Chloe unhelpfully suggested, smirking lightly at the mental image.

Realizing that she had little choice other than accepting or running, Max resigned herself to her fate. "Okay, okay… fine. You win."

"Rach, keep your hands off my girl, okay?" Chloe demanded as they stepped outside, her possessive streak coming out in full force. She knew what her friend was like and as much as she loved Rachel like a sister, she could push her luck sometimes. "I see even one wandering finger and I'll break it. Got it?"

"Oooh, possessive. I like it." When Chloe narrowed her eyes, meaning business, Rachel held her hands up defensively. "Fine, I'll keep my hands to myself."

"You'd better, otherwise I'm kicking you out and revoking your right to use my truck," Chloe added, sounding very serious.

The journey was surprisingly uneventful, Rachel keeping her promise in return for her riding privileges. It was tempting, but not worth the punishment. As for Max, she tried hovering for a while but it hurt her thighs. Eventually, she gave in and put her full weight on Rachel, admittedly not much in the first place. The whole situation was embarrassing, especially with Rachel adding an unnecessary comment here and there. They finally made it to their destination, Arcadia Bay's 'beach'.

Eager to know what they were doing, Max finally voiced her question. "Dare I ask what we're doing?"

"You'll find out soon enough. Nothing _too_ rebellious… by my standards," Rachel added as an afterthought.

"So reassuring," Max muttered under her breath as she got out of the truck.

Chloe stepped out, coming to stand in front of her and affectionately nudging her arm. "Come on, Max. Live a little. I won't let anything bad happen to you, promise."

"It's not me I'm worried about…" The shy hipster corrected nervously. Her girlfriend had a bad habit of getting herself injured whenever she did something stupid… which was most of the time.

"Worried about me, huh?" Chloe couldn't help but smile. "Cute. I can take care of myself, though."

Max gave her a skeptical look, arms crossed. "Can you now? I have a ton of experience telling me otherwise."

"She is pretty accident prone," Rachel admitted. Out of everyone she knew, Chloe Price had the worst luck when it came to injury. If there was a bone to be broken, she would manage it.

Chloe shot a frustrated glance her way. "Not helping, Rach."

In response, the blonde simply shrugged. "Just sayin'."

"Well don't." With a sigh, she turned back to Max, taking hold of her shoulders and looking her straight in the eyes. "I'll be fine, Max. You're, like, my good luck charm or something. Nothing bad happens when you're around."

"Whereas I am the bringer of misfortune," Rachel hissed melodramatically, an evil grin plastered to her face. "Prepare to meet your DOOM!"

Chloe stared at her, amused by the display. "You are such a nerd. I wonder what everyone would think if they found out Rachel Amber, Blackwell's badass celebrity, acted like this."

Rachel just shrugged again. "Some people'd dig it."

"Right, I forgot Blackwell was filled with nerds and assholes exclusively," the bluenette chuckled, shaking her head.

"Hope I fit into the nerd category," Max interrupted.

"Max, you are literally right at the top. No competition," Chloe stated matter-of-factly, with Rachel nodding at her conclusion.

"Thanks… I guess." She wasn't quite sure whether to take that as a compliment or insult.

"Lucky for you, I'm into nerds," Chloe mentioned with a wink, patting her on the back. "They're hella cute." That got Max blushing, as she had hoped. She was just too cute sometimes. Striping down to her underwear Rachel ran towards the water, shivering slightly as she waded in. Max looked away shyly while Chloe smirked. "You have no shame…"

"And you have no balls," Rachel shot back challengingly. "Come on, join me."

Chloe crossed her arms, defiant. "I'd rather not catch a cold, thank you very much."

"Chicken!" Rachel cried out as she splashed them. She then proceeded to sulk, ignoring them.

"She's like a damn child…" Chloe muttered as she sat down on the sandy shore.

"Like you can talk," Max observed, smiling to herself as she joined the blue-haired punk.

"You'd better take that back, Caulfield. Or else…" she threatened playfully, leaving the sentence unfinished and open for interpretation.

"Or else what?" Max shot back, not quite as confidently as her girlfriend. She still hadn't gotten the hang of this whole flirting thing. Gradually, she was getting there.

"Or else, this..." Chloe leaned in, moving her face inches away from Max's. Her breath was warm and smelled faintly of cigarette smoke. Before she could get any closer, the pair were drenched with seawater. They blinked at one another, confused. It didn't take them long to realize who had splashed them. A mischievous blonde jokester. Chloe turned to Rachel, scowling.

To that, Rachel just grinned smugly. "Just had to remind you I was still here. I mean, hey I don't mind watching or anything. It'd be like one of those trashy romance novels come to life, but so much better."

Max felt her cheeks redden, refusing to meet either Rachel or Chloe's gaze. Rachel got out of the water, shaking off like a dog and getting dressed again. She plonked herself down next to the blushing girl, out of Chloe's reach. Just in case. Gradually, the embarrassment and annoyance passed, giving way to contentment as they all stared out over the sea, watching the sunset. Predictably, Max wanted to take some picture, first of the scene on its own and then with the three of them.

As the final picture left the camera, Rachel snatched it up before the others had a chance, grinning at the result. "Now this one needs a frame."

Chloe took it from her, nodding approvingly. "Definitely a keeper."

As the temperature began to drop, Max shivered. Given her slight figure, small and thin, she got cold easily. Noticing this, Chloe shuffled closer and put her arm around her shoulder, sharing warmth. Thankful, Max rested her head against Chloe, sighing contently. It was moments like this the pair appreciated more than anything. They didn't need word.

_Well, don't I feel like a third wheel._ Rachel grinned as she watched them, idly tracing swirling patterns in the sand. Seeing Chloe and Max so content, that was worth the slight feeling of isolation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have a great day and see you next time.


	6. 'I Can't Sleep'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all. Been a while since I wrote something fluffier so here goes… not a super long one but better than nothing.
> 
> Reminder (sorry to those who already know :p): Ever wanted more LIS with Max and Chloe (and Rachel as a bonus)? Welp, one of my co-written fics 'Butterfly Wings' is being turned into an LIS fan-made sequel game.
> 
> Want to follow developments, volunteer or come chat with LIS nerds? Join our discord: https://discord.gg/9peBgHN

**Chapter Six: ‘I Can’t Sleep’**

Morning light filtered through the window covered by an American flag. It illuminated the room in a pleasantly warm glow, passing over the messy mismatch of items. Small mountains of dirty laundry, overflowing trash bin, walls covered floor to ceiling with posters and graffiti, childhood photos and memorabilia… all physical manifestations of the girl this bedroom belonged to.

Two girls laid in bed amongst a disheveled pile of blankets and pillows. Their clothes laid discarded on the already chaotic floor lost late last night, usefulness negated. A white skull tank top rested precariously on the handle of a dresser drawer, the thin sleeve hole hooked by accident. Nearby on the floor, a gray hoodie resting in a crumpled heap near a light pink shirt.

Worn black converses lay separated – one near the closet once used in childhood games and the other by the foot of the bed. The other pair of shoes; heavy black boots; were left abandoned by the overcrowded desk. Beside the first set were blue jeans and patched gray pants, removed in haste. Much closer to the bed were two sets of underwear and bras – white and pink; orange and black respectively.

Eventually, the taller blue-haired girl’s eyes fluttered open. It took her a moment to assess her surroundings, smiling as she noticed the other girl. Her best friend, partner in crime and… girlfriend of the past few months. Max – or Maxine when trying to annoy her or convey displeasure – Caulfield.

It had taken them some time to get used to all this change. Both had their apprehensions but couldn’t deny something was there between them. Max had never really dated before, let alone kissed anyone. Whereas Chloe had, but never anyone she cared about as much as the brunette. It had gone unspoken for years, hanging in the background.

The bluenette smiled at their collective stupidity, wondering just how long they had liked one another. Her now girlfriend constantly doubted herself and Chloe _hated_ showing emotional vulnerability for fear of rejection. Around Max, it was a little different but she still found herself holding back sometimes. Less so now.

That was when Chloe realized her arm was a little numb, the freckled girl lying on it as she snuggled close. Honestly, the blue-haired punk didn’t mind. Max could have her arm… anything she wanted. Stuck where she was for the time being – how could she bring herself to wake the sleeping girl? – she instead let her fingers lightly trace pale skin.

A few light marks and some faint bruises lined alabaster, accompanied by a few deeper and fresher entries. Chloe had just as many. For someone so shy, Max sure packed a punch and came out of her shell in certain situations. That had been a pleasant surprise. Sure, she was still hesitant about it, but in the moment she could lapse into the grips of desire, totally outweighing possible nervousness.

Flushed cheeks, shallow breath, whispered reassurances and declarations. Hands roaming, bodies aching, heart beating. Soft and some loud sounds of approval, gently demanding more. A new side of one another previously unexplored.

The bluenette found herself grinning like a fool at the new memories. Ones that almost didn’t happen. Gently, she brushed a stray strand of hair from her sleeping hipster’s face. Honestly, this was the happiest she had been in… a long time.

Absentmindedly, she glanced back at the graffiti and poster-covered wall. Directly behind her head, the words **‘I CAN’T SLEEP’.**

That still remained the truth to an extent… for different reasons. Before, she suffered borderline insomnia due to nightmares and just generally feeling depressed. Now the nights she laid awake were all because of the brunette beside her. The first reason explained the current naked status of both girls – a fairly new occurrence – the other…

Blue eyes softened, turning back to watch her girlfriend again. A subtle click caught her attention, the younger girl’s eyes open in a sleepy daze. Her phone was lazily clasped in her hand, post-picture.

“Gotcha.”

Chloe smirked, wondering just how many photos Max had collectively taken in her lifetime… and how many included herself. “Glad you’re finally up, nerd. I was going to start tickling you or dousing you in cold water otherwise.”

“You already have before,” Max pointed out, unimpressed by the lack of imagination.

Taking it as a challenge, the punk leaned in close until their faces were mere inches apart. “I can think of other ways.”

Not waiting for an answer, she stole a kiss. Then another and another. Her arms wrapped tightly around her girlfriend, feeling the brunette tense slightly as fingertips brushed against the small of her back. Pressing her tongue against Max’s lips, she felt them part and deepened the kiss. It didn’t take much coaxing.

As they locked lips, both girls felt the heat radiate as bare skin rubbed. They stayed huddled up in the nest of pillows and blankets, keeping it fairly tame. Mostly just kissing, a little touching here and there, but nothing intense. As much as they enjoyed certain perks of being in a relationship, just being together like this was probably their favorite. Just like before, but with a slight difference.

After some time, Max lightly bumped her forehead against Chloe’s, still wondering how they had gotten to this point… yet _so_ grateful. “Well, I’d say I’m pretty awake now.”


End file.
